PART II— EMPIRE 



CHAPTER VI 



The influence of Empire upon wages. — Although the 

 condition of the people of this Kingdom tends to im- 

 prove with that of the peoples of the continent of 

 Europe, yet it is not so good as it might be ; the wages 

 of Europe are not nearly so high as those of the New 

 Worlds, and while every improvement of science has an 

 immediate effect upon wages in the New Worlds, in the 

 Old only so much of its etiect is felt as is not offset by 

 the increase of numbers. 



If the United Kingdom had a superabundance of 

 land she could exchange with a population engaged 

 in agriculture upon the superior soils only, and both her 

 country and town labour would earn the fullest wages 

 possible. With a sufficient home market she would not 

 need to seek exchanges in foreign countries and suffer 

 the competition of nations poor in land. But these 

 Islands have behind them no stretch of territory — 

 such as, for instance, have the manufacturing centres of 

 the United States — or the condition of the people would 

 be far different from what it is. Still, though Great 

 Britain and Ireland have no such tract adjoining them, 

 there exist within the Empire territories which could 

 serve for an extension of the land of the United Kingdom. 

 Canada, Austraha and New Zealand are such territories. 

 (South Africa, though sufficient in size and abundantly 

 fertile, is not suitable for use as an extension of the 

 British Isles. She possesses her own agricultural 



